Improvement in fluid-meters



D. BRMNARD SPGONER.

Improvement n Fluid Meters.

Patented S'epi 5. 1871.

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D. BRAINARD vSPOONER.

Improvement in Fluid Meters.

Patented Sep. 5.1871.

jimi/fait odw UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

D. BRAINARD SPOONER, OF SYRAOUSE, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT 1N FLUID-METERS.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, D. BRAINARD SPOONER, of Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga and State of N ew York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Liquid and Gas-Meters; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a central vertical section, Fig. 2 is a detail view, and Fig. 3 shows a modication.

Similar letters of reference indicate likeparts in the several figures.

This invention relates to certain improvements and modiiications made on 'a patent granted to me the 11th day of April, 1871, and numbered 113,591, the improved construction being' made to more perfectly protect the iiexible or rubber parts of the air-chamber from wear.

In the accompanying drawing, A. is the cap that forms the valve-chamber, its lower part being broken off and the case of the meter omitted. B is the valve, O is the spindle, and E the apexroller, as in my above-named patent. The spindle O is firmly aixed to a cross-piece, e, to which a yoke or bale, g, is connected that extends up over an air-chamber about to be described. D is the yoke, on the top of which the air-chamber F is mounted. The cylinder forming said air-chamber is closed at its lower end, and has a cap of metal, F', that slides up and down in it, with ribs j' that occupy slots in the sides of the cylinderF at its top, as clearly shown by a horizontal section, Fig. 2, of the parts 5 over these I iit a tubular cap or sleeve, G, of rubber or some iiexible material, that in form corresponds to the exterior of the cylinder F, and covering over the top of the cap F. This sleeve G has a liange or projecting rim around the bottom, over which a collar, h, is put and screwed down to the projecting bottom of the cylinder F to make a tight joint. Between the flexible cap or sleeve G and the sides of the cylinder F, all around, there is space, in which is coiled a wire, against which the inner surface of the rubber sleeve rests, to relieve it from friction against the sides ofthe cylinder F and cause it to stretch equally from end to end. The bale or yoke g, as before stated, passes over the top above the rubber sleeve G, and a screw,

H, is put down through them both into cap F', and secures them iirmly together. Through the screw H a hole, c', can be made for exhausting the air from the chamber. This hole is stopped with an ordinary stop-cock, K. It is obvious that this exhaust-opening may be placed elsewhere in the chamber F.

When the device is put in motion by the power of water pressing on the working diaphragm or piston in the meter, the apex-roller is forced up the incline ofthe apex, thereby raising the yoke or bale and elongating the rubber orflexiblc sleeve to the extent the roller rises, and as soon as the said roller has balanced over the apex the head or pressure of water upon the top of the cap G drives it down the opposite incline, thereby shifting the valve.

The modification shows a device much like that in my patent No. 113,591 before mentioned, only one of the diaphragms therein are displaced by a sleeve, G, as shown in Fig. 3. By this construction a good degree of elasticity is obtained by the greater length of the rubber, and the material is more durable, as it is supported at short distances by the spiral wire, and the strain is a1- ways uniform on it, or comparatively so, the constant pressure of the water not straining the rubber between its supports, as heretofore.

The device can be so constructed that the pressure ofthe water can be applied to the inside of the sleeve instead of the outside, with nearly the same facility, and in such case the supporting barrel or wire is placed outside of the rubber--that is to say, the sustaining devices are reversed, and the outside of the sleeve kept free from the pressure of water. I, however, consider the construction shown as most simple in its action. When used with a low pressure of water the air is partially exhausted from it, so that more or less of a vacuum is formed in the cylinder, and with a considerable portion of the air removed, the cylinder can be placed entirely outside of the meter and made to operate by the pressure of the atmosphere.

The tubing or sleeve G, Fig. 1, can be pieces of tubing cut ofic into suitable lengths, and fastened at each end by copper wire or other wellknown means 5 but to prevent tendency to wear, and to secure certainty of tight `joints, I mold the sleeves or caps G with anges on the ends, the

said flan ges being outside like the lower iiange, shown in Fig. l, or inside flanges like the upper one shown in this figure.

Rings can be substituted for supporting the cap or sleeve in place of the coiled Wire.

By thus using the rubber or exible material in a tubular form, as described, the overstraining and Wear of the rubber are obviated or reduced to the minimum.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

l. A device for actuating the valves of liquid and gasmeters, composed of a cylinder or chamber surrounded by a movable or iiexible sleeve resting on a coiled Wire or other movable support, said sleeve or covering receiving` the pressure of the Water for shifting or throwingthe valve, substantially as described.

lby me this 29th day of June, 1871.

D. B. SPOONER.

Witnesses A. ALLGIEAR, F. A. MoRLEY. 

